Vincent Yu"This was one of those things that I was able to do where I’m seen in a different light," says "New York, I Love You" star Maggie Q. "Usually, I’m angry or fighting someone.

Maggie Q rarely gets to smile onscreen. The actress, who recently transitioned to Hollywood from Hong Kong crime cinema, is most recognized as an action heroine, having portrayed formidable women in “Live Free or Die Hard” and “Mission: Impossible III.”

As much as she loves summer blockbusters, the 29-year-old Hawaii native says she’d like to branch into comedy. She’ll get the chance this season in “New York, I Love You,” an anthology of short films about the Big Apple in which she shares a humorous pick-up scene with Ethan Hawke. A follow-up to 2006’s “Paris, Je T’Aime,” the new film captures the flavor of Manhattan and Brooklyn with a loosely linked series of stories, each shot on a two-day deadline with different directors.

Next up, Maggie has a role opposite Zach Galifianakis (“The Hangover”) in a supernatural satire called “Rogue’s Gallery.” For something completely different, she recently joined the cast of the horror western “Priest,” with Paul Bettany. She also wants to start producing and has a comical screenplay in the works with a co-writer.

We spoke with the former model by phone about Hong Kong, Hollywood and salad.

Q. How was it working on a two-day deadline to shoot your scene in “New York, I Love You”?

A. I worked in Asia for so many years where everything was really rushed. The thing is, we were outside in the dead of winter when we shot. I’m like, “Can I wear a suit? Can I be like a dude?” They made me wear a dress. I don’t know that I could have lived longer than two days out there.

Q. I was wondering if you had any trouble breaking character, because Ethan was going off on some pretty vivid tangents.

A. Ethan, that was his thing, he was this smooth guy who thinks he’s got the whole situation figured out. He just makes a bigger and bigger ass of himself and in the end, it blows up in his face. The character is actually based on somebody we know.

Q. Has that person seen the film?

A. Yes, and he loves it.

Q. He considers it a tribute?

A. Absolutely.

Q. In this film, you get to be funny. You have the last laugh. Was that important to you?

A. This was one of those things that I was able to do where I’m seen in a different light. Usually, I’m angry or fighting someone. That has a lot to do with the fact that I’m half Asian and there’s this ethnic idea that if you’re Asian in movies, you fight.

Q. Jackie Chan has shifted into more comedic films, but it seems like it’s easier for male stars to move between genres.

A. Everything’s harder for women in this industry. There are little cubby holes that people put actresses into. We get pigeonholed, and it’s a shame because there’s room for different races and different walks of life because we live in a country that is so ethnically diverse. We should be able to represent that.

Q. Where’s the Margaret Cho movie?

A. Why isn’t she the best friend in the Jennifer Aniston movie? The only people that are truly represented in film comedically are Caucasian and African-American. There’s room for Latino comics, Asian comics. It’s a road that we’ve got to carve out for ourselves.

Q. Is working on this independent film in New York the start of a different path for you?

A. I hope so. There are very good indie scripts out there but they are hard to find. One area that is getting bigger now for actors is development. We know best what we want to express and we have to take the reins and start developing things that show the industry a different side to your talent. It’s not just about performance, but it’s about development.

Q. You want to produce?

A. It’s the way to go because people aren’t going to just hand you something. If there’s a romantic comedy in development, I guarantee you my name is not on the short list.

Q. I was surprised when reading about the movie that you were in one of the lighthearted segments.

A. That’s what first drew me to it. It was like, “I get to improv with Ethan Hawke and I can be witty if I want and I can be a smartass if I want and nobody is going to tell me, “Can you bring that down and be serious?”

Q. I really enjoyed the way “New York” wrapped up with Cloris Leachman at the end.

A. I love her. She’s a huge animal rights activist and so am I.

Q. Are you vegetarian?

A. Yes.

Q. It’s good to see a kickass vegetarian.

A. I was just talking to a friend about the protein myth and people who think you need to eat an animal to be fit and have muscles and be strong.

Q. I’ve been a vegetarian for 21 years and I haven’t collapsed or anything.

A. I’m shooting a new movie and I went to get my checkup. Literally, the doctor said, “I have never seen better vitals. What do you do?” And I said, “I don’t eat meat.” He’s like, “That’ll do it.” There are so many issues connected to it — environmental, social, health, all of it.

Q. I find that a lot of people think you’re judging them, that you feel all people who eat meat are bad.

A. They feel judged because they know they’re not making the right decision. They’re like, “You don’t eat meat. Well, I do.” They get very weird and I’m like, “I didn’t bring it up. You did.”